presents

November 4 – 6, 2004

The Elite Eight Brand Management Case Challenge

brings together top brand management students, professionals and academics from across the country for a three-day

competition and discussion series highlighting the challenges facing brand managers in today’s competitive marketplace.

PARTICIPATING MBA PROGRAMS

The Anderson School at UCLA

Carlson School of Management – University of Minnesota

Duke – The Fuqua School of Business

Indiana University Kelley School of Business

Kellogg School of Management

University of California Berkeley – Haas School of Business

University of Michigan Business School

The Wharton School – University of Pennsylvania

PARTICIPATING MBA PROGRAMS

The Anderson School at UCLA

Carlson School of Management – University of Minnesota

Duke – The Fuqua School of Business

Indiana University Kelley School of Business

Kellogg School of Management

University of California Berkeley – Haas School of Business

University of Michigan Business School

The Wharton School – University of Pennsylvania

2004 Event Dates:

November 4, 5 and 6, 2004

Location:

Carlson School of Management

University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Tentative Schedule of Events

� Thursday evening, November 4:

� Welcome reception

� Competition case presented to teams

� Teams begin case analysis

� Friday, November 5:

� “Brand Matters” speaker series

� Corporate partner reception

� Presentation of case to partners

� Teams complete work on case

� Saturday, November 6:

� Teams present to corporate judges

� Awards dinner for teams and partners

THE CHALLENGE FORMATTHE CHALLENGE FORMAT

The Challenge involves eight student teams, who are presented with a

strategic brand management challenge currently faced by a partner company.

The teams are given 36 hours to prepare a structured case analysis and

accompanying recommendations. They present these findings to a panel of

expert judges, allowing partner companies the opportunity to critically assess students’ brand management, teamwork and problem-solving skills.

Following the conclusion of all presentations, the participants and partners attend a social-hour and

awards banquet.

Past Competition Highlights

Competitive Case Topics� 2001 Go-Gurt: “Reviving mature brands within intensely competitive categories”

� 2002 Freschetta: “Extending franchises in the face of competitive giants”

� 2003 3M’s Brand & Asset Protection Unit: “Developing a brand in a highly

fragmented business to business marketplace”

Corporate Partners3M, Best Buy, Cargill, Carlson Companies, Fallon Worldwide, General Mills, International

Multifoods, Kimberly-Clark, Phillip Morris, Target

“Brand Matters” Speakers� 2003: Patrick Hanlon, principal, THINKTOPIA, LLC: “Primal Branding: How to Create

Zealots For Your Product, Service, Company and Future.”

About Carlson School of Management

� 2004 US News & World Report:

� Full-time MBA Program ranked 21st

� Marketing Program ranked 24th

� World-Class Marketing Faculty

� Second “Most Influential Marketing

Faculty” according to a 2003 University

of Missouri study

� Carlson’s Brand Enterprise

� Students gain hands-on opportunities to work as consultants on current

branding projects for client companies

� “Brand Matters” Speaker Series

� Ongoing series bringing speakers to campus to discuss relevant

brand topics

Partner Benefits

� Observe the nation’s preeminent MBA students as they

devise solutions to a current brand management challenge

� Access to all Elite Eight events

� Networking opportunities with other brand and marketing

professionals

� Corporate inclusion in all marketing and public relations

materials

� Excellent recruiting potential “It was very educational for my colleagues and I to see what the teams were able to accomplish in only 36 hours without a budget.”

- past sponsor

Partners Provide:

� Representatives to appear on the judging panel and at the awards dinner

� Critical evaluation and feedback of team case presentations

� Optional items for participant gift bags

� Financial support

TO GET INVOLVED OR FOR MORE

INFORMATION

CONTACT THE EVENT CO-CHAIRS:

Julia Cothran

jcothran@csom.umn.edu

(612) 872-4838

Karen Hodgson

khodgson@csom.umn.edu

(612) 889-0955